Resiliently supported lamp



7, 1965 H. D. HlRSCi-l 3,201,581

RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED LAMP Filed Aug. 22, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Harv? wZ7, Hz'xnv? P int/.5

1965 H. D. HIRSCH RESILIENTLY SUPPORTED LAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 22, 1961 INVENTOR. #477 ,2. bz'rs United States Patent Ofice 333N581 Patented Aug. 1?, i865 3,2fiidl RESEEEIJTLY SiJPltEilTFED LAMP Harry 1). Hirsch, Detroit, Mich, assignor to C. M. Hall Lamp (Iompany, a corporation of Michigan Filed Aug. 22, 1961, Ser. No. 133,157 12 Claims. (Cl. 24-ti l1.5)

This invention relates to resiliently supported lamps and more particularly to lamps in which the light unit, such as a sealed beam unit or a bulb assembly, is resiliently supported and/or positioned within hollow lamp body.

An object of this invention is to irnprove the resilient mounting of a light unit within a lamp housing.

Another object of this invention is to improve the means for securing a resilient grommet in light unit supporting relationship with a lamp body.

Another object of this invention is to improve and reduce the cost of light unit supporting grommets by providing a plurality of eircumferentially located grommet segments for radially positioning and/or resiliently supporting a light unit within a lamp body.

Another object of this invention is to improve the establishment of a preselected rotational orientation between a light unit and a lamp body.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects and other objects and features of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention when read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation, partially in section, of a lamp assembly embodying certain of the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the area 2 on FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view in vertical section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in vertical section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view in horizontal section taken along the line 6 of FIG. 1;

FlG. 7 is a view in side elevation, partially in section, of a modification of the lamp assembly illustrated in FIG. 1 and embodying certain of the principles of the present invention;

PEG. 8 is a view in front elevation, partially in section, of the embodiment of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the area 9 on FIG. 7.

While the principles of the above invention may be applied to other types of lamp assemblies, they are illustrated in the embodiment of FIGS. l6, as including a bulb assembly it), such as a sealed beam unit, supported within a lamp body or housing 12 which is relatively nonresiliently mounted upon a vehicle by suitable mounting means such as by means including a projection 14 on the housing 12.

The lamp body 112 includes a hollow metal shell 16 having a forwardly located, radially inwardly directed circumferential flange portion 13 aving a forwardly facing outer surface 28. For purposes of this application the forward direction is defined as the direction in which the light faces.

The lamp body 12 supports the bulb assembly it) including a filament (not shown), a reflector portion 22, and a lens portion 24', all of which are illustratively combined in an integrated assembly in the form of sealed beam unit. The lens portion 24 (or the lens portion or the reflector portion on a non-integrated unit) is provided with a raised, stepped, circumferential bead 26 having a for ward circumferential shoulder 23, an intermediate shoulder 36 and a rearward circumferential shoulder 32. In addition, the bead is provided with one or more discontinuities such as the boss 34 for rotational keying purposes.

The bead 26 of the bulb assembly 16B lies within a door or bezel 36 having an outer circumferential portion 33 with its inner surface surrounding the bead 26 on the bulb assembly in spaced relationship therewith. A radially inwardly directed, circumferential lip 50 connects to the outer circumferential portion 38 forwardly of the shoulder 23 on the bead 26 for limiting forward movement of the bulb assembly iii in the bezel 36. The circumferential portion 38 also connects to a radially inwardly turned, rearwardly located circumferential flange til which terminates in a forwardly directed end portion 42 that engages a protuberance 44 on the outer surface of the lamp housing 12 at a point adjacent the flange portion 18.

The protuberance 44 has an arcuate shoulder 46 with a rearwardly facing substantially vertical surface against which the end 42 of the flange 46 abuts for holding the bezel on the lamp housing 12. The bezel 36 is further secured on the housing 12 by a coacting engagement between the end portion 42 and a plurality (representatively two) of circumferentially spaced protuberances 43 (FIGS. 4 and 5) on the outer surface of housing 12 at points adjacent the flange portion 13 and substantially diametrically opposite the protuberance 44.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-6, the bulb assembly 10 is retained and resiliently supported in the bezel 36 by means of a grommet 52. Grommet 52 includes a circumferential portion 54 which engages the inner surface of the circumferential portion 38 of the bezel 36 and the head 26 on the bulb assembly 16) to radially position it within the bezel 36 and resiliently hold it against radial movement with respect to the lamp body 12.

The inner surface of the circumferential portion 54 of the grommet 52 is grooved to define a forward, generally annular, radially inwardly directed flange portion 56 and a stepped rearward flange portion 53'. The flange portion 56 press-fits between the forward circumferential shoulder 23 of the head 26 and the inner surface of the lip on the bezel 36. Similarly, the flange portion 58 press-fits between the shoulders 36}, 32 on the bead 26 and the forward surface 2t) of the flange 18 on the housing 12. In this manner, the bulb assembly 10 is secured in the grommet 52 and hence is resiliently held against either forward or rearward movement with respect to the lamp body 12.

It should be noted that the inner edge of the forward circumferential lip Sit on the bezel 36 is spaced from the bulb assembly it so that the bulb assembly 19 only engages the resilent grommet 52 and is thereby insulated from vibrational forces and the like transmitted from the rigid lamp housing mounting and the lamp body 12 to the bezel 36. In the preferred form there is no metal to sealed beam unit contact at the inner edge of the forward circumferential lip St? or at the boss 34, but with some improvement of the mechanical shock insulating properties of the unit, the inner edge of the lip 50 can engage the sealed beam unit for supporting and positioning the sealed beam unit relative to the lamp body 12.

As may best be seen in FIG. 1, the rearward flange portion 58 of the grommet 52 has a notch 6b which receives the key boss 34 so as to establish a preselected rotational orientation betwecn the bulb assembly iii and the grommet 52. The flange 18 on the housing 12 is preferably cut away to clear the top of the boss 34 extending from notch 60 to avoid metal to sealed beam unit contact and may also serve to rotationally position the bulb assembly with respect to the lamp body.

While the grommet 52 may be a continuous, molded unit, it is preferred that it be in the form of a split extruded strip which is formed into a circle as an incident of the assembly of the grommet to the other elements,

I with its two ends 62, 64 (FIG. 4) brought into proximity to one another at a fixed point in the circumference of V the bead 26 and the bezel 36 as defined by a keying 72 (FIG. 1) includes tab portions 74 fastened by suitable means such as welding to the inner surface of the bezel element 72. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the keying element 36 and a rearwardly extending arm portion 76 with radially inwardly directed projections 78 which lie between the ends 62, 64 of the grommet strip at a point on the circumference of the bezel at which the ends 62, 64

are in proximity to one another.

To locate the bezel 36 in preselected rotational orientation with respect to the lamp body 12, in order to complete the orientation of the bulb assembly with respect to the lamp body 12, the projections 78 engage a notch 8t) in the flange 18 and forward portion of the body 12.

j7-9 is similar tothe embodiment of the invention illus trated in FIGS. 1-6 except that the grommet 52 is replaced by a plurality of circumferentially located discontinuous grommet portions or arcuate segments 82 each of which has a forward portion 84 having its forward surface grooved to define a radially outer, forwardly 'directed flange 86. A rearward portion 87 of each segment 82 has a groove 88 located in the radially outer surface thereof rearwardly of the flange 86. The sides of the groove 88 grip aninwardly directed. flange 18 on a housing 12 to secure each grommetportion thereon.

An inwardly directed lip 50' on a bezel 36' engages a shoulder 28' on a head 26 to hold a bulb assembly 10 against the forward portions 84 of each grommet segment so that they engage a shoulder 32 on the bead 26' and the forwardly directed flanges 86 engage a portion of the, peripheryof the bead 26 to cushion movement of the bulb assembly 10 relative to thelamp body712.

It is contemplated, that the inner edge of the lip portion 50' on the bezel 36' will engage the bulb assembly 10' forwardly of the circumferential surface 28' on the bead 26' for radially positioning the bulb assembly 10' in'the lamp body 12 or, alternatively, the'inner edge of the lip on the housing 12'.

The filaments of bulb assembly'10' are located in a preselected rotational orientation with respect to the lamp body 12 by a keying boss 90 on the bead portion 26 of the bulb assembly 10' which locks in a notch 92 in the inwardly directed flange 18 on the lamp body 12'. a While it will be apparent that the embodiments of the a maybe spaced from the bulb assembly 10' and the 'flanges'86 on each of the grommet portions 82 maybe the sole means for radially positioning the bulbassembly 10" invention herein disclosed are well calculated to fulfill the objects of the invention, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change without departing from the proper scope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims;

What is claimed is:

1. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead, the combinationof a lamp body havinga forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flangeand a plurality of circumferentially spaced,

body adjacent said, flange, a bezel having an innersurfaceand adapted to surround the circumferential head on the lensin spaced;relati'onship therewith, said bezel furrearwardly located and radially outwardly extending pro- -tuberancesformed on the outer surfaceof said. lamp ther including a rearwardly located flange portion engagingsaid lamplbody'only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel. on's'aid lamp body and protuberances formed on the outer surface of said lamp 7 body adjacent said flange, a bezel'having an inner surface 7; In a lamp assembly'including 7 a circumferential bead, the combination of a lamp body 7 having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferg an inwardly directed circumferential lip located forwardly of the circumferential bead on thelens to prevent forward movement of the lens relative to said lamp body, and a resilient grommet including a circumferential portion located between the innersurface of said bezeland the circumferential head on the lens, said grommet further including a forward portion engaging the circumferential head on the lens and a rearwardly located'porti-on engaging said forwardly located flange on said lamp body for resiliently supporting the lens relative to said lamp body.

2. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said grommet is formed as a discontinuous resilient member having a plurality of circumferentially located arcuate segmerits, carried by said forwardly located flange on said body engaging the circumferential bead on the lens.

3. The lamp assembly'of claiml wherein said grommet is formed of a discontinuous resilient member having a plurality of circumferentially located arcuate segments, each of said segments having forward and rearward portions engaging the outer and inner surface of said, forwardly located flange respectively, and said forward portion having a forwardly facing shoulder engaging the circumferentialbead on the lens.

.4. The lamp'assembly of claim 1 wherein said grommet is formed as a discontinuous resilient member having a plurality of circumferentially located arcuate segments,

carried'by said forwardly located flange on said body engaging the circumferential bead on the lens and coacting means on the lens and said lamp body forv establishing a preselected rotational orientation between said lens and said lamp body. 1 a

5. The lamp assembly of claim 1 wherein said grommet is formed as a discontinuous resilient member having a plurality of circumferentially located arcuate segments, each of said segments having forward and rearward portions, engaging the outer and inner surface of said forwardly located flange on said'body respectively, each of said forward portions have. aforwardly facing shoulder engaging the rearward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens for resiliently holding the lens against rearward movement relative to said lamp body and a forwardly directed flange engaging the periphery of the circumferential bead on the lens for radially V positioning the lens in' said lamp body.

6. Ina lamp assembly including a'lamp lens having a circumferential bead, the combination, of a lamp body having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange and a plurality of circumferentially' spaced, rearwardly located'and radiallyxoutwardly extending protuberances formed on the outer surface of said lamp body adjacent said'flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted tosurround said circumferential head in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel furtherincluding a rearwardly located flange portion engaging said lamp body only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel on said lamp body and an inwardly directed circumferential lip located forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens' to prevent forward movement of the lens relative to said lamp body,

and aresilient grommet within said bezel including a cir-.

cumferential portion having an', inner surface engaging the periphery of the circumferentialtbead on the lens for .radially positioning the lens in said-lamp body, said grommet further including a'forward portion engaging the circumferential beadon the lens and a rearwardly located portion engaging said forwardly locatedflange on said lamp body for resiliently supportingfthe lens relative to said lamp body.. a i a a lamp lens having ential flange and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, grearwardly located andjradially outwardly extending and adapted to surround the circumferential head on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further including a rearwardly located flange portion engaging said lamp body only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel on said lamp body and an inwardly directed circumferential lip located forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens to prevent forward movement of the lens relative to said lamp body, a resilient grommet including a circumferential portion located between the inner surface of said bezel and the circumferential bead on the lens, said grommet further including a forward portion engaging the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearwardly located portion engaging said forwardly located flange for resiliently supporting the lens relative to said lamp body, and coacting means on the lens and said lamp body for establishing a preselected rotational orientation between the lens and said lamp body, said coacting means including means on the grommet for rotationally positioning said lamp lens with respect to said grommet and coacting means on the bezel and the grommet for establishing a preselected rotational orientation between the bezel and said grommet.

8. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead, the combination of a lamp body having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange, a plurality of protuberances on the outer surface of said lamp body adjacent to said forwardly located flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted to surround the circumferential bead on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further including a rearwardly located forwardly directed end portion engaging said lamp body only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel on said lamp body and an inwardly directed circumferential lip located forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens to prevent forward movement of the lens relative to said lamp body, and a resilient grommet including a circumferential portion located between the inner surface of said bezel and the circumferential bead on the lens having a forward portion engaging the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearwardly located portion engaging said flange on said lamp body for resiliently supporting the lens relative to said lamp body.

9. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead with forward and rearward circumferential shoulders, the combination of a lamp body having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, rearwardly located radially outwardly extending protuberances formed therefrom on an outer surface of said lamp body adjacent said flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted to surround the circumferential bead on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further including a rearwardly located flange portion engaging said lamp body only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel on said lamp body and an inwardly directed circumferential lip spaced forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens, and a resilient grommet including a circumferential portion engaging the inner surface of said bezel and the periphery of the circumferential bead on the lens, said grommet further having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange engaging said lip on said bezel and the forward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearward inwardly directed flange engaging the rearward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and said forwardly located flange on said body for resiliently holding the lens against forward, rearward or radial movement relative to said lamp body.

10. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead with forward and rearward circumferential shoulders with said rearward shoulder having a discontinuity therein, the combination of a lamp 6 body having a forwardly located inwardly directed cir cumferential flange and a plurality of protubera-nces formed on an outer surface of said lamp body adjacent said flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted to surround the circumferential bead on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further including a rearwardly located flange portion engaging said lamp body only at said protuberances thereby operatively supporting said bezel thereon and an inwardly directed circumferential lip spaced forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens, a resilient grommet including a ci-rcumferential portion engaging the inner surface of said bezel and the periphery of the circumferential bead on the lens, said grommet further having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange engaging said lip on said bezel and the forward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearward inwardly directed flange engaging the rearward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and said forwardly located flange on said body for resiliently holding the lens against forward, rearward or radial movement relative to said lamp body, and coacting means on said bezel and said lamp body for positioning said bezel in a rotational sense with respect to said body, said coacting means including means for positioning said resilient grommet in a rotational sense with respect to said bezel, and means on said grommet engaging the discontinuity on the circumferential head on the lens for positioning the lens in a rotational sense with respect to said grommet.

11. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead with forward and rearward circumferential shoulders with said rearward shoulder having a discontinuity therein, the combination of a lamp body having a forwardly located, inwardly directed circumferential flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted to surround the circumferential bead on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further including means engaging said lamp body thereby operatively supporting said bezel on said lamp body and an inwardly directed circumferential lip spaced forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens, a resilient grommet including a circumferential portion located between the inner surface of said bezel and the periphery of the circumferential bead on the lens, said grommet further having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange engaging said lip on said bezel and the forward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearward inwardly directed flange engaging the rearward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and said forwardly located flange on said body for resiliently holding the lens against forward, rearward or radial movement relative to said lamp body, and coacting means on said bezel and said lamp body for positioning said bezel in a rotational sense with respect to said body, said coacting means including means for positioning said resilient grommet in a rotational sense with respect to said bezel, and means on said grommet engaging the discontinuity on the circumferential bead on the lens for positioning the lens in a rotational sense with respect to said grommet.

12. In a lamp assembly including a lamp lens having a circumferential bead with forward and rearward circumferential shoulders with said rearward shoulder having a discontinuity therein, the combination of a lamp body having a forwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange and a plurality of protuberances formed on an outer surface of said lamp body adjacent said flange, a bezel having an inner surface and adapted to surround the circumferential bead on the lens in spaced relationship therewith, said bezel further includ ing a rearwardly located flange portion engaging said protuberances for supporting said bezel thereon and an inwardly directed circumferential lip spaced forwardly of the circumferential bead on the lens, a resilient grommet "including a circumferential portion 106mm between the inner surface of said bezel and the periphery of the Gif cumferen-tial bead on the lens, said grommet further having aforwardly located inwardly directed circumferential flange engaging said lip on said bezel and the forward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential bead on the lens and a rearward inwardly directed flange engaging the rearward circumferential shoulder on the circumferential head on the lens and said forwardly located flange on said body for resiliently holding the lens against forward; rearward or radial movement relative to the lamp body, and coacting radially inwardly extending keying arm on said bezel and axially outwardly extending notch on said lamp body for positioning said bezel in a rotational sense with'respect'to said body, said coacting 'rneans including means for positioning said resilient grommet in a rotational sense with respect to said bezel, and means on said grommetengaging the discontinuity on the circumferential head on the lens for positioning the lens in a rotational sense with respect to 'said grommet. 7 a

' References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,194,373 3/40 Wright 240 -41.5 2,428,479 10/49 Tsouros 24041.5 2,734,128 2/56 Dickson 2 40-41.55 2,762,908 9/56 1 Gaither 24090 X 2,870,362 1/59 Arnold et a1. 7 7 2,925,487. 7 2/60 Beach 24041.55 X

2,979,603 4/61 Falge 24090 X r 3,065,340 11/62 Mead et al 240. 90 X EVON c. BLUNK, Primary Exar nir zer.

NORTON ANSII-IER, Examiner. 

1. IN A LAMP ASSEMBLY INCLUDING A LAMP LENS HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD, THE COMBINATION OF A LAMP BODY HAVING A FORWARDLY LOCATED INWARDLY DIRECTED CIRCUMFERENTIAL FLANGE AND A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERNTIAL SPACED, REARWARDLY LOCATED AND RADIALLY OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PROTUBERANCES FORMED ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID LAMP BODY ADJACENT SAID FLANGE, A BEZEL HAVING AN INNER SURFACE AND ADAPTED TO SURROUND THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THE LENS IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, SAID BEZEL FURTHER INCLUDING A REARWARDLY LOCATED FLANGE PORTION ENGAGING SAID LAMP BODY ONLY AT SAID PROTUBERANCES THEREBY OPERATIVELY SUPPORTING SAID BEZEL ON SAID LAMP BODY AND AN INWARDLY DIRECTED CIRCUMFERENTIAL LIP LOCATED FORWARDLY OF THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THE LENS TO PREVENT FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LENS RELATIVE TO SAID LAMP BODY, AND A RESILIENT GROMMET INCLUDING A CIRCUMFERENTIAL PORTION LOCATED BETWEEN THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID BEZEL AND THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THE LENS, SAID GROMMET FURTHER INCLUDING A FORWARD PORTION ENGAGING THE CIRCUMFERENTIAL BEAD ON THE LENS AND A REARWARDLY LOCATED PORTION ENGAGING SAID FORWARDLY LOCATED FLANGE ON SAID LAMP BODY FOR RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING THE LENS RELATIVE TO SAID LAMP BODY 